Venomous snakes in California
Venomous snakes living in California
6species, plus 1 with rare records
Western diamondback rattlesnake, Western rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Mojave rattlesnake, Red diamond rattlesnake, Speckled rattlesnake. A bite from any of these is a medical emergency.
How to recognize them
Western diamondback rattlesnakeDangerous340 records, 4 counties
Western rattlesnakeDangerous6,264 records, 57 counties
SidewinderDangerous3,983 records, 8 counties
Mojave rattlesnakeDangerous796 records, 7 counties
Red diamond rattlesnakeDangerous1,700 records, 8 counties
Speckled rattlesnakeDangerous1,164 records, 10 counties
Western diamondback rattlesnake Crotalus atrox
- Gray to tan with dusty diamond blotches
- Black and white bands of equal width just before the rattle
- Two pale stripes on the face
Western rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus
- Brown, gray or olive with darker blotches down the back
- Blotches turn to bands toward the rattle
- Pale line from behind the eye to the jaw
Sidewinder Crotalus cerastes
- Small rattlesnake with a raised horn-like scale over each eye
- Pale sand color with faint blotches
- Moves sideways and leaves J-shaped tracks
Mojave rattlesnake Crotalus scutulatus
- Greenish to tan with diamonds that have clean pale edges
- White tail bands wider than the black ones
- Pale stripe behind the eye ends above the corner of the mouth
Red diamond rattlesnake Crotalus ruber
- Brick red to pinkish tan with pale-edged diamonds
- Black and white tail bands
- Heavy body
Speckled rattlesnake Crotalus mitchellii
- Speckled, granite-like look that matches the local rock
- Color runs from cream to pink, gray or brown
- Faint bands, sharper near the tail
Every venomous snake species known from the US is on this site.
Counties with records
- None recorded
- 1 species
- 2
- 3 to 4
- 5 or more
Active months
Rare records
- Rare records Yellow-bellied sea snake 3 open records, latest 2018
Harmless snakes people mistake for them
- Rattlesnake vs Gopher Snake Gopher snake: harmless
Quick answers
- Lives here Are there rattlesnakes in California?
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Questions
How many venomous snakes are in California?
6 species live in the state: Western diamondback rattlesnake, Western rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Mojave rattlesnake, Red diamond rattlesnake and Speckled rattlesnake.
Which venomous snakes in California are dangerous?
Western diamondback rattlesnake, Western rattlesnake, Sidewinder, Mojave rattlesnake, Red diamond rattlesnake and Speckled rattlesnake: a bite is a medical emergency.
When are venomous snakes most active in California?
Most open records fall in April to July.
Which harmless snakes get mistaken for venomous ones in California?
Gopher snake. See the side-by-side comparisons below.
More for California
- All venomous animals in California
- Venomous spiders in California
- Scorpions in California
- Centipedes in California